Luna Maddox and the 21st Century Marauders
by Loony Luna Malfoy-Colfer
Summary: 1st fic! Set a year after the Battle of Hogwarts, all OCs and a few canon characters to be featured in later chapters.
1. The Feet in the Fireplace

Luna Maddox is eleven years old. She is almost the spitting image of her twelve year old sister Johanna- she has the same bright fiery hair, the same sparkly hazel eyes, the same crooked teeth. Luna has been cooked up in her Bristol home all her life, until today.

Luna was sitting in the living room alongside her sister and mother Samantha, when there was a ruffling sound coming from the fireplace. "Johanna, you aren't expecting anyone, are you?" Samantha asked. Johanna shook her head, her red curls flying. The ruffling progressed and became louder and louder, until Luna saw something strange… two soot covered feet. "Magnus! Great to see you!" Out from the fireplace came a small boy, no taller than Luna herself, with ruddy hair coated with a fine layer of soot and crystal blue eyes that shone from behind the grime. He was wearing a heavy brown coat-or it might've been a different color, just covered in dark ash- with dirty jeans and sneakers. Underneath the coat was an orange t-shirt that was also covered in ash. The boy was Johanna's friend, Magnus Redford.

See, Magnus and Johanna were a special kind of person. They were a witch and wizard that attended school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Luna had been desperately awaiting her Owl Post to attend as well, she was a witch too, according to her mother. Mrs. Maddox was a Muggle- a non-magical person- and Ezra Maddox (Johanna and Luna's father) was a wizard, along with their Aunt Isla, whom they usually stayed with because they weren't allowed to practice magic in a Muggle home. However, Isla and Ezra were currently at the Quidditch World Cup between the Ballycastle Bats of England and the Vratsa Vultures of Bulgaria. Quidditch is a magical sport played with five balls and seven players on broomsticks, and there is an annual tournament between the two best teams of the season. Johanna was supposed to go and bring Magnus along, but his uptight and strict mother Ophelia wouldn't allow him to go- she wanted him to catch up on his studies.

Johanna and Magnus have been thick as thieves since their first year at Hogwarts, when they were both sorted into Gryffindor House and Magnus had snuck up Johanna in the Gryffindor common room and she had cast a tickling charm on him because he interrupted her reading of the _Daily Prophet_- a wizard world newspaper, and one of Johanna's favorite things about Hogwarts. Isla had been sorted into Ravenclaw, another Hogwarts house, and Ezra Gryffindor when they attended Hogwarts, but they spent most of their time together, whether it be at Hogsmeade- a magical shopping district not too far out of Hogwarts grounds- or during classes. Luna hoped that when she went to Hogwarts, she would be put in Gryffindor, because that was the house famous Hermione Granger was in.

Hermione Granger was one of the brightest young witches of her time, and had fought in the infamous Battle of Hogwarts alongside Ron Weasley, and famous Harry Potter himself. Luna had done her research about the famous Potter gang, the Dark Lord, even the older stories about the prankster Marauders, which included Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew (who turned out to be a servant of the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort) and Harry Potter's own father, James Potter. Luna found Hogwarts incredibly fascinating, and she wanted to hopefully make her own "Marauders" group when she finally went.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but why're you here?" Johanna asked the ash covered boy. Magnus shook his head vigorously while rubbing his eyes, sending clouds of ash every which way. He coughed and then reached into his coat pocket. "I got an Owl Post by mistake I noticed the name Maddox and the Hogwarts seal, so I thought I'd sneak out using some of Mum's Floo powder and send it over here. Too bad I forgot you were at your mum's house… Muggle fireplaces aren't Floo powder friendly…" He said hoarsely.

"Why didn't you just send Cyprus over? Would've been a lot easier." Johanna asked. Cygnus was Magnus's owl with plumage almost as red as Luna's hair, but with snow white wing tips and underside. Magnus coughed again, sending out yet another cloud of black dust. "Mum took him away last time I tried to send you something while I was supposed to be reading up on Muggle History." Magnus said glumly. Johanna bit her lip as she took the envelope from him. "Sorry if I got you in trouble." She said with a slight giggle.

"Oh, it's not your fault. You know me mum…" Magnus said with a hidden laugh. Johanna nodded as she studied the envelope closely. Then she gasped and her hands began to quiver. "What is it, dear?" Asked Mrs. Maddox. Johanna's lips slowly parted into a smile. "It's… it's for Luna." Luna's eyes widened as her older sister handed her the envelope. When she noticed the Hogwarts seal

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall_

_Dear Miss Maddox,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcract and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_

Luna couldn't find words. She pulled out another piece of parchment, which contained a list of all the supplies she needed.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Uniform:_

_First year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black with silver fastenings)_

_Set Books_

_All Students should have a copy of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adaobert Waffling_

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllis Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

_Other Equipment_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set of brass scales_

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS._

After reading the letter, Luna was shaking like a leaf. "What is it? Is it an acceptance letter?" Magnus asked. It took most of Luna's strength to look up at him and nod. Johanna started clapping madly and jumping around, causing her hair to look like a small flame atop her head. "Ooh, I can't wait till September! Mum, you gotta take us to London!" She said jittery.

"Johanna, you know I can't take you… why not ask Magnus's mother?"

"Mrs. Maddox, I don't mean to sound rude, but my mother… she doesn't like Johanna. It has nothing to do with her per say, it's just when Mum went to Hogwarts, she was sorted into Slytherin. She was hoping I would be too, but I'm in Gryffindor with Johanna. And Slytherin and Gryffindor have had a feud since the beginning of Hogwarts." Magnus said, disappointed. Mrs. Maddox pursed her pink lips tight and contemplated this. "Alright, well… Johanna, why don't you send your Aunt Isla a letter? Magnus can stay here until she gets here. I'm sure she'll be able to abandon that Quibbler match or whatever for her two nieces."

"I-it's Quidditch, Mum."

"Well, you know what I mean. Send her a letter, your father can stay at the match and Isla can come and take you to get your supplies. I think that sounds fair." Johanna smiled widely and hugged her mother tight around the neck, then rushed up to her room with Magnus, chatting away about Isla, considering Magnus had never met her, while Luna stood there motionless, still staring at the letter. "Is there something the matter, Luna?" Luna broke out of her trance and looked up at her mother. She then laughed lightly and beamed. "No. Not at all."


	2. The Mad Woman on the Bicycle

Johanna hadn't stopped talking about Hogwarts since Luna got her acceptance letter last week. The sun was shining brightly as Johanna, Luna and Magnus relaxed barefoot on the grass. Johanna had a stash of Cauldron Cakes, which were a snack that the elderly woman on the Hogwarts Express handed out, Ice Mice, which was a treat you could purchase at Honeydukes (a candy Shoppe in Hogsmeade) that would make the consumer squeak like a mouse, a few packages of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans, which are like jelly beans, but came in strange flavors such as dirt and horseradish, and several bottles of ice cold pumpkin juice and a few of Butterbeer, which is a warm and bubbly beverage one can purchase by the tankard at The Three Broomsticks, a student friendly pub, also in Hogsmeade. Magnus was confused as to why she had so many magical snacks, to which she replied, "You don't expect me to eat Muggle food anymore, do you?" She shared many with Luna, and really only spared about two bottles of Butterbeer and three Cauldron Cakes.  
>Magnus, on the other hand, had brought something different to the table- or, ground, to be precise. He had all of his old first year books transported from home- he had sent a letter to his mother and told her he was at his Grandfather Wayne's, who was a retired professor at Durmstrang, another wizarding school, and is also one of the most intelligent men in the Ministry of Magic. He was allowing Luna to skim through them, explaining each of the spells, charms and jinxes. "What's a… Boggart?" Luna asked, pointing to the illustration of the wardrobe and the young wizard standing in front of it. Magnus chuckled and cleared his throat. "Well, no one knows exactly what a Boggart looks like, but they take the shape of what one fears most. Like, mine would probably take the form of… maybe a bomb about to explode. Or me mum in a bad mood."<br>"Mine would be a notice that says the Daily Prophet has been discontinued." Johanna said. Luna and Magnus both laughed a little at this, but Johanna leapt to her feet. "Hang on! I think I have an old copy of the Prophet in my room. You should really see it, Luna. I haven't been able to show you any wizard pictures, and they're important. I'll be right back!" She rushed back into the house, kicking up grass with her dirty bare feet. Magnus continued to tell Luna about his favorite classes and teachers. "I heard we're getting a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher this year… it usually happens." He told her.  
>"Why is that?" Luna inquired. But Magnus couldn't answer. He was looking up and squinting into the blue summer sky. Luna looked up as well and saw a little black dot gliding towards them. "Is it an owl?" Luna asked. The door behind them opened and shut again as Johanna emerged from the house again, a Prophet in hand and her eyes up to the sky. "No. It's Aunt Isla!" Johanna said, her voice barely coming out in a whisper. The dot flew closer and closer until Luna could make out the shape.<br>It was a woman with insane scarlet hair flying every which way with strange objects sticking out of it. She was dressed in bright blue robes that shone clearly against the blue sky and riding an old red and black bicycle, the red paint chipping off. She was pushing the pedals of the bicycle, but it was flying through the air. When she landed, Luna saw that underneath her sapphire robes she was wearing a lovely amber dress that frilled at the bottom and was covered in sparkling red dust. Her eyes were hazel, just like Luna's and Johanna's, and her teeth were crooked as well, and Luna found that the items emerging from her hair were things like quills, a wooden stick (which she thought to be a wand) a Prophet and some other rolled up pieces of parchment. Around her arm was a worn leather satchel, and perched at the end of her nose was a pair of psychedelic glasses that swirled and sparkled every time she blinked. After a moment, Luna automatically recognized her as her Aunt Isla. She dismounted the bike (which sent glitter all over the grass) and kicked the kickstand down and smoothed her hair, which didn't do anything really. "Sorry for the mess, a bunch of Bulgarian loonies doused me in their color. But how are my two favorite nieces?" Isla held out her arms and Johanna rushed up to her, hugging her tightly. "Well, get over here, Bug! I did say my two favorite nieces, right?" Luna laughed and joined the hug.  
>After the hug was broken, Isla smoothed out her dress and looked over to Magnus, who was standing there quietly, looking rather flushed and embarrassed. "Oh, 'ello! I forgot Jamster here mentioned there'd be a third of you!" She said, smiling widely and sticking out her manicured hand. On her nails were tiny black bats and Union Jacks, and since she was a witch, the bats were flying and the Union Jacks were waving like flags in the wind. "Isla Harriet Joanne Christine Maddox, but me professional name is I.H.J.C Maddox, I work with the Ministry along with Ezra- we're both Aurors. But you can just call me Isla, or Auntie Izz, or Aunt Isla, or whatever. Just don't call me old." She laughed as Magnus hesitated to shake her hand. "Aunt Isla, how are we all supposed to get to London on one bike?" Luna asked quietly. Isla looked at her intently, and laughed again. "What a scatterbrain I am today! I forgot this is going to be your first year at good ol' Hoggy-warts! Listen, Bug-" She draped her arm around Luna's shoulders, something in her bag rattled and chimed. "See my bike over there? Well, not only is it a transportation device, it's a Portkey, too."<br>"Well, what's a Portkey?" Luna asked, looking up at her aunt. Isla giggled and poked Luna's nose. "So adorable. Anyway, a Portkey is an item which brings whoever touches it to where it is made to go, at the proper time of course. And I've enchanted this bike so it will send us straight to Diagon Alley in London."  
>"What's Diagon Alley?" Isla tapped Luna on the nose again with her long nails. "Diagon Alley is… we'll say a shopping district for witches and wizards. There's all sorts of shops there: bookshops, food places, wand shops- which reminds me, we'll be needing to get you a wand- broom stores, stuff like that. It's a lot of fun, and that's where I'm taking you three today." Johanna grinned widely, but then the door behind them slammed. "Isla!" Called a voice. They all turned and saw Mrs. Maddox looking distraught, she was red in the face and her grey-brown hair was falling out of her bun and in front of her eyes. "Oh, if it isn't me sister-in-law! How are you, Sammy-kins?" Mrs. Maddox started storming over to her, her small hands balled into fists. "How do you think I am? I just heard on the news that-" She took a deep breath, trying to catch herself, "Several people saw something they thought was just a bird, until they looked closer and saw it was a flying bicycle!" She shrieked.<br>"Mum, calm down-" Johanna said shakily. When Mrs. Maddox got upset, everyone was upset. Isla and Mrs. Maddox never really got along, Mrs. Maddox felt that Isla was too carefree about using her magic, even though she graduated from Hogwarts second in her class (she was one behind Nadine Carson.) "Do you expect people to just forget that?"  
>"Well, o'course I do. The other wizards of the area will just use a Memory charm on them and-"<br>"You don't get it, do you? There aren't many trained witches and wizards here! The only ones I know are my daughters and Magnus here, and Johanna and Magnus are only, what, second years, at Hogwash?"  
>"H-Hogwarts, Mum. It's Hogwarts…" Luna said in a barely audible whisper.<br>"Isla, you should really consider finding a different way of traveling so you don't get spotted by Moogles as easily as you usually do! Last time you were here with Ezra, several reporters came rushing up to my doorstep because they thought they saw a flying motorcycle headed to my house!"  
>"Sorry, Sammy-kins, I'll be on my way with the children and-"<br>"If you take the children now, I don't want to see you here again!"  
>"What? Mum!" Shouted Johanna.<br>"What are you trying to say?" Isla said, raising an eyebrow.  
>"I'm saying, you take the children. And you cannot come back here. The children can make up their own minds about coming back, but I don't want to see you here again, or else I won't be allowing Johanna or Luna go back to that school!"<br>"Mum! You can't do that!" Luna said, her voice a little louder.  
>"Sammy-kins, don't you think you're being a little rash…"<br>"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Mrs. Maddox roared, causing all four of them to jump. "Johanna, Luna. I'm not mad at either of you, I'm mad at your crackpot of an aunt!"  
>"Isla isn't a crackpot!" Johanna screamed. Mrs. Maddox was automatically silenced. Johanna never screamed. "You're just scared of magic!" Johanna looked back over at her thunderstruck sister, grabbed her wrist and began to drag her into the house. "Come on, Luna, let's get your trunk."<p>It took Luna about a half an hour to pack a trunk filled with clothes and other things and Johanna had just babbled on about her mother. Luna didn't really know what to say, she kind of just pretended to listen. When they were ready and had to walk through the living room again, they exchanged looks with their mother, but Johanna pulled Luna out of the room before she could say goodbye.<br>When they got back outside, trunks in hand, Isla was chatting away with Magnus, but when she looked up, she clapped her hands and beamed widely. "Alright then! Everyone grab hold of the bike, now!" She announced. Johanna had grabbed on instantaneously, grumbling angrily to herself, Magnus grabbed on with only a hint of hesitation, but it took Luna moment. If she did this, she probably wouldn't see her mother again. Part of her wanted to back away, pick up her trunk and run back inside, but the other part wanted to grip the frame of the bike and never let go. "We're gonna leave without you if you don't come on, Bug." Said Isla sternly. Luna looked up, then grabbed on tightly.  
>In the next instant, the bike gave off a bright blue glow, then Isla felt a sharp and painful tug just behind her navel. The bike was being swept away at lightning speed, whipping everyone's hair this way and that. Luna's stomach lurched and she felt like she was going to puke, until she was slammed into cold stone, skidding across the ground and ramming into something… or someone. "Hey, watch where you're going!" Shouted a voice from above her. Looking up, Luna saw that it was an extremely tall young man with black hair that hung in front of his emerald green eyes. When she took a second look, and the sun had peeked out from behind the clouds, his hair appeared to be a lovely shad of midnight blue. "S-sorry, I-" But before Luna could finish her apology, the man had stalked off with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Luna! Are you trying to leave with another family?" called a familiar voice. Luna looked over and saw Johanna, Isla and Magnus all waving her over. She stood up, dusted herself off and skittered over to them.<br>"Alright, Jamster and Maggie-" Isla started.  
>"Um, it's Magnus…"<br>"I know that! Jamster, explain to him why I give everyone nicknames while you pick up yours and your sister's books at Flourish and Blotts. I am going to take Bug to Ollivanders and get her wand." She reached into her jingling bag and pulled out a small leather bag tied together with a red ribbon. "That's a little over fifty Galleons, a hundred Sickles and about a hundred and fifty Knuts, that should get you your books and you should still have some left over. When you're done, go to Madame Malkins', we'll meet you there. And when we're done, I might take us all down to the Leaky Cauldron and get us some Butterbeer!" Johanna smiled and took the small bag and ran off down the street with Magnus. "Come on, Bug. Let's go get you a wand." Isla said, jumping onto the rusty bike. Luna smiled and followed her aunt closely.

Ollivanders was an incredibly small shop with peeling gold letters of the door that read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. Isla pulled Luna inside, and it seemed like the inside was smaller than the outside, and was nearly empty, except for a single chair sitting alone in the corner covered in a sheet of dust. Off to the front of the room, Luna say hundreds- thousands, even- of long, narrow boxes piled up to the ceiling. A small man popped up from behind the counter with silvery white hair- or lack there of- and small eyes behind large spectacles. He was wearing a dusty white button-down shirt and chalky brown dress pants. Tied around his waist was an equally dusty beige colored apron. He adjusted his glasses and smiled. "Well, if it isn't one of my favorite ex-Hogwarts students, Isla Harriet Joanne Christine Maddox. I haven't seen you in ages!" He said, his voice dry and almost as dusty as everything else in the shop. He came out from behind the counter and grabbed Isla's hand with both of his. "How are you? What brings you here? Did you break your wand again?" He asked. Isla laughed heartily and pulled Luna in front of her, hands on her shoulders. "It's good to see you too, Ollie. I'm actually here for Bug. Bug, this is Ollivander." Luna looked up at him and smiled a small smile. "N-nice to meet you." She said quietly.  
>"Bug? Interesting name. Or is that one of Izzy's nicknames?" Asked. Ollivander, who took Luna's hand and shook it gently. Luna smiled again. "It's a nickname. My name's Luna."<br>"Luna? There was a Luna in here lots of years ago… oak with a real pretty acorn design."  
>"Luna Lovegood? I've read about her."<br>"Ah, a studious one, are you? I could see you following Izzy's footsteps and going into Ravenclaw. Isla was also one of Ravenclaw's finest Beaters. Only female one up to date."  
>"Beaters?"<br>"'as she told you about Quidditch yet?" Luna looked up at Isla, shaking her head. Isla laughed again. "Silly me! I was just at the Cup when I got word from Jamster that Bug had gotten her Hoggy-warts acceptance letter!"  
>"You're kidding!" said Ollivander breathily. "What was the score?" Isla pursed her lips and tapped her foot, which is what she normally did when she was trying to think back about something. "I can't recall… but Ezra said he'd send word of who won after the match."<br>"Well, be sure to get back to me. Alright, now Luna…" Ollivander studied Luna closely, studying her every feature, from the top of her fiery red head down to her tennis shoe covered feet. "I think I have the wand for you." He said with a toothy grin. He then turned on his heel and approached the huge stacks of narrow boxes. Isla leaned down to whisper in Luna's ear, "Ollie had helped me with spells over the summer when your father was working with your grandfather. He may be a little dusty, but he's still a genius." After a moment, Ollivander came back with a wand, maybe about 12 to 14 inches long and a dark brown with a small carving of a rose in the handle. "Come on, then. You just got to hold it, child." Luna hesitated for a moment, but then Isla gave her a small push and she stepped closer. She reached out and took the wand, and almost instantaneously, a bright white beam shot out from the end and blasted into the boxes. Ollivander made a disapproving hissing noise through his teeth. "Alright, child, that one's not it… you looked like an oak type." He took the wand back and returned it to it's box. Isla leaned over to whisper in Luna's ear again, "Don't worry. The first wand usually doesn't fit the witch." She winked and straightened again. Ollivander came back with a more lightly colored wand that was about an inch longer than the last one she tried. "Beech. Perfect for divination and gathering legendary wisdom. Try this one, then, child." Luna stretched out her arm and took the wand firmly, only to have the same results as with the oak. Ollivander pursed his lips and nodded, taking the wand back again.  
>Then, Luna heard a high-pitched, almost whiny, girl's voice in her ear. "Luna!" It hissed. She looked up at Isla, who appeared to have not said anything. "Over here, Luna!" Said the voice. It was like it was a little girl trying to sing. Luna tried to ignore it, but it was right there in her ears. "Come play with me, Luna!"<br>Luna shut her eyes tight. When she opened them again, Ollivander was back with a lovely wand, much more lovely than the previous two. It was a deep shade of crimson and twisted around, like two snakes. The handle was smooth and refined, and at the base of the handle was a small glass orb swirling with bright, psychedelic colors, much like Isla's glasses. "Bloodwood. Also good for divination, it's said that it can reveal secrets of the past and future to it's possessor. It's also quite a pretty color."  
>"What's the orb down at the bottom?" Luna asked before reaching out to take the wand in her fingers.<br>"Oh, it's much like Izzy's glasses," Isla tapped the frames of her spectacles, which were glimmering pastel colors of the rainbow as the usually did. "Mostly for decoration, but in the hands on the correct witch or wizard, the colors will change. Bright and colorful when someone good or trustworthy is around, and dark and gloomy when someone bad and vengeful comes around." Luna took the wand in her hand. It hummed and vibrated in her palm, sending shivers throughout her arm. "Hello, Luna! Nice to meet you, Luna!" Said the voice. Luna shook it off and brought the wand above her head, then brought it back down quickly, sending out a cloud of brightly colored sparks. "Excellent, child! I think you have found your match!" Ollivander announced. He walked back to the other side of the counter and pulled up the wand's box, setting it gently down on the wood. "Does it feel right with you, dear?" Isla said, talking about how the wand felt in her hand. Luna looked up at her and nodded with a big grin on her face. "Alright, Ollie. We'll take it."  
>"That'll be five galleons." He said, taking out his own wand. He tapped the counter and a cash register appeared in a cloud of silvery grey. Isla reached into her satchel and pulled out five medium sized gold coins and smacked them on the table. Ollivander waved them into the register with a flick of his wand, then tapped the counter again, and the register disappeared in a pale gold cloud. Isla said goodbye to Ollivander, and then they exited the shop.<br>"Hey, Aunt Isla?" Luna asked as they walked down the cold pavement of Diagon Alley. She looked down at her. "Yeah? What's troubling you, Bug?" Luna looked back down at the wand in her hand, then placed it behind her ear, not wanting to put it in her pocket (she had a fear of breaking it) and bit her lip. "Is it normal to… hear your wand?"  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"When we were in the shop… I heard a voice. A little girl's voice. It was calling out to me, asking me to play. And it stopped when I held the wand." Isla looked down at her walking feet and nodded, thinking this over. "Well…" After a moment, she looked back up, a grin on her face and she wrapped her arm around Luna's shoulder. "Best not to think about it, aye?" She gave her shoulder a reassuring pat before bringing her arm back to her side. Luna sighed and nodded. Best to not think about it…  
>After a little while, the reached Madam Malkins', which was a robe fitting Shoppe. A rather large woman had Luna stand upon a large, cushiony pedestal as she took measurements of her arms, legs, back and chest. When she nodded and left, Luna looked to her right and saw another girl on a pedestal with her arms out to her sides, like hers were. She had shoulder length chocolaty hair that was extremely shiny, and eyes of a similar shade that glinted with the light creeping through the shop window. Freckles dotted her perky nose, and her front teeth just barely poked out from behind her lip. She was wearing a dark blue skirt, a white blouse and a light blue jacket with black Mary Janes' with white socks. Luna, who was thinking it was quite quiet, quietly said "H-hello." The girl looked over at Luna, cocking her head to her side and mouthed something to herself, before looking back up at her with a smile. "Hello zere. My name iz Elodie Cézanne. What iz your name?" She had a light voice coated in a French accent.<br>"Luna." said Luna calmly, returning the smile. "Luna Maddox."  
>"That iz a very pretty name you have, Luna Maddox. Are you going to 'Ogwarts?"<br>"Yes, are you?"  
>"Oui. I just moved to London, you zee. I used to live in Paris, but zen my father got a new job with zee Miniztry and ve had to leave."<br>"Oh. Do you miss Paris?"  
>Elodie sighed and pursed her pink lips, then nodded. "Oui. There iz a wizarding school in Paris, you know."<br>"Beauxbatons, I know. I've done my research."  
>"Ah, perhaps you will be put in to zee Ravenclaw house, no?"<br>Luna smiled and nodded. "Yes. My aunt was in Ravenclaw. She's who I usually live with."  
>"What about your mother? Or your father?" Luna's smile faded slightly and she looked down at her feet. "My mother is a Muggle and she's…. well, quite frankly she's scared of magic. And I haven't seen my father in years."<br>"Why iz zat?"  
>"I'm not sure, actually. My aunt always says it's because he has work to do with the Ministry- he's an Auror- but there hasn't been any news on criminals or Azkaban lately."<br>"Maybe iz on a zecret mission. Like, zomewhere else in Europe."  
>"Maybe…" At that time, the woman came in again, carrying black robes in each of her arms. Silently, she handed one to Elodie and one to Luna. After they had pulled them on, they had looked in the mirror behind them. "Oh my…" Luna breathed to herself.<br>"What iz it?" Elodie asked, adjusting her own robe.  
>"I… it feels strange."<br>"'ow zo?"  
>"The only other time I wear a robe is when I get out of the shower or something. And now… I'm wearing wizard robes? It's a lot to take in in one day."<br>"You get used to it, though. So says my mother. She's a witch."  
>"So you're a pureblood?"<br>"No. My great grandfather was a Muggle."  
>"Ah. But I thought one of your parents had to be a Muggle to be a Mudblood?"<br>"No. If anyone in zee family is non-magical, you are considered a Mudblood."  
>Luna pondered this over as she looked at herself again in the mirror before removing the robes and handing them back to the woman. Elodie and Luna walked out of the dressing room.<br>Elodie looked very similar to her parents: her father had the same thin face with big brown eyes; her mother had the same long brown hair and freckles, though hers were lighter and harder to see. "Bug! I see you've met the Cézanne girl?" Announced Isla as she stood up from her chair. Luna nodded and smiled over at Elodie. "Well, the Cézanne's and me, we have history."  
>"It iz true." Said Elodie's mother, standing up and hooking arms with Isla. "We were in zee Ravenclaw 'ouse together."<br>"Anny-Banny helped me with Transfiguration, I helped her with Charms."  
>"Oui, Maddox's are usually good Charms students."<br>"Your sister is amazing. I've seen her practicing." Said Isla with a charming smile. "You'll probably follow in her foot steps."  
>"Elodie. You have made friends with zee Maddox girl, non?"<br>"Oui, maman. She iz very nice." Said Elodie. "Hopefully we are in zee same house, Luna."  
>"Yeah, that would be great."<br>"Alright, girls. Anastasie," Said Elodie's father, standing up and dusting off his pants. "We should be going. We don't want Ollivanders' to close before we get little Ellie's first wand."  
>"It was nice zeeing you again, Isla." Said her mother, who gave Isla a friendly hug.<br>"I will zee you on zee 'Ogwarts Express, non?" Asked Elodie, turning to Luna. Luna smiled and nodded. Isla and Elodie's father shook hands, Elodie and Luna hugged, and Isla and her mother hugged again, and then they exited Madame Malkins, Elodie's robes gathered in their arms.  
>"They were quite nice." Luna said as Isla paid for her robes.<br>"Yeah, the Cézannes are of good people. Have no idea why they got transported to London… Paris is quite nice this time of year."  
>"At least they know English."<br>"Well, Anny-Banny was Paris born, and then moved to London with her grandmother because of some… magical incidents that happened in the home."  
>"Magical incidents?"<br>"Yeah, Anny-Banny had some issues with her powers when she first realized she was a witch. She burnt down the house with an accidental fire-conjuring charm."  
>Luna swallowed hard. What if she did something like that? She knew next to nothing about magic, only what she read in books. "Come on; let's go find those two lovebirds."<br>"Lovebirds?" Luna asked.  
>"Yeah, your sister and Maggie. I can tell they'll probably make some magical kids in the future."<br>"But… Johanna and Magnus have been best friends since last year, there's no way-"  
>"Don't try and get technical about it, Bug. People can change. Relationships can change." Isla gave her a friendly smile and gave her a quick side hug. "They're probably at The Leaky Cauldron. Come on."<p>

When Luna and Isla reached The Leaky Cauldron, Luna thought Isla was mad. It just looked like a brick wall on the side of an apartment. "Um… are you sure we're…" Then Isla shushed Luna, took out her wand (which was quite like the oak one Ollivander had asked her to try, only it was twisted like the one she has now and had a small M. carved in the side) and tapped the bricks gently with it in a counterclockwise motion. Suddenly, the wall split slowly with a loud creak, and a wooden door appeared to them. "Well, come on." Said Isla as she slid her wand back into her pocket and began walking toward the door. Luna, who was still in shock at the movement of the buildings that no one seemed to notice, snapped out of her trance and quickly followed her aunt into The Leaky Cauldron.  
>The inside of The Leaky Cauldron was very dark and shabby. There were a few tables, a large plaque on one side that looked like a menu and a counter up in front where a small woman with tawny hair was wiping it down. Only, her hand wasn't on the rag, she was just twirling her finger, sending the rag in circles. "Oi, Hannah!" said Isla with a smile. The woman looked up with annoyed eyes and then half smiled before looking back down at the rag. "I see you still haven't come up with a name for me, have you?" She said.<br>"Oh, I'll come up with something sooner or later. Hey, you haven't seen Jamster or Maggie in here, 'ave you?" Hannah raised an eyebrow. Isla waited patiently for an answer, but then laughed and said "Johanna and Magnus. I brought Johanna here last year. She has the same hair as me?"  
>"Oh, the little redhead and her boyfriend? Yeah, they're over there." Luna looked over to where Hannah pointed, where she saw her sister and Magnus sitting a corner table with bottles of Butterbeer in their hands. Isla waved, and Johanna looked up, who waved back with the hand she was holding her Butterbeer with. Soon, Isla magicked up two chairs, which slid to the table, and brought Luna over to sit. "So how was Diagon Alley, little sister?" Johanna asked, leaning on her elbows.<br>"Oh, it was wonderful. I met the daughter of one of Aunt Isla's friends."  
>"Oh? Which one?"<br>"Elodie Cézanne. She was really nice."  
>"Oh, I remember the Cézannes! Yeah, I met them last year when you took me here! I didn't know they had a daughter."<br>"Neither did I," said Isla, taking Johanna's bottle of Butterbeer and taking a large swig of it, "Just met her myself. Fine young thing, she is. Her and Bug really hit it off."  
>"Well, look at you," Johanna said with a smile, gently hitting Luna in the arm, "Making friends even before the term starts."<br>"Hannah! Can we get another round of Butterbeer over here? And… what the heck, a Firewhiskey for meself?" Hannah rolled her eyes and began to pour drinks. "So, Luna. What house do you hope to be in?" Magnus asked. Luna was actually quite surprised to hear his voice, considering he hadn't talked in quite some time. Luna pursed her lips and tried to think about the houses. Gryffindor was for ones who craved adventure, it was the house famous Hermione Granger was in, and it was the house her father and sister were in. Then there was Ravenclaw, who were all quite intelligent, and rather good looking, and it was the house Isla had been in. There was also Hufflepuff, of course, but there was nothing interesting that came to mind about Hufflepuff. And then there was Slytherin… many of the students in Slytherin were purebloods, and half of the students that graduate from there become some of the darkest wizards ever, like Lord Voldemort.  
>"Well, why don't we leave it to the Sorting Hat?" Said Magnus as Hannah brought the drinks around. Luna smiled and nodded as they all raised a glass (well, Isla a bottle) and clinked them in the center of the table. Then downed their drinks and chattered away about Luna and Hogwarts.<p>


	3. The Girl With Owl Eyes and The Surprise

Johanna, Magnus, Luna and Isla all stayed the night at the Leaky Cauldron, mostly because Isla had misplaced her bicycle and they had no means of transport to get home, and also because Johanna wanted to help Luna test out her wand. It was more Luna's decision than Johanna's, considering she was afraid that she would burn down Isla's house, and Johanna really wanted to test it out herself. Magnus and Isla had decided to go down to Whizz Hard Books, which was a bookstore on Diagon Alley. Isla might seem like a free spirit who doesn't care about much, but she's still a Ravenclaw at heart, reading has been her passion for ages. Luna and Johanna lingered behind at the Leaky Cauldron up in their room, sitting on the floor twiddling with Luna's wand.  
>"Bloodwood, eh? Sounds expensive."<br>"It was five galleons according to Ollivander."  
>"Five? Oh, well that's not bad. Could be worse. My first wand was three."<br>"First?"  
>"Yeah. I broke my wand not too long ago. After I visited Madame Malkins to repair a tear in one of my robes, I stopped by there."<br>"I didn't see you there, though."  
>"I and Magnus found a short cut. We saw you leaving." Johanna winked as she rolled her sister's wand around in her hand. Luna looked down at her new books, her eyes flitting from page to page, word to word. Then a question appeared in her mind.<br>"Did your wand talk to you?" Johanna looked up, her red curls flying out of her eyes. "What's that?" She asked.  
>"Did your wand talk to you?" Luna enunciated. Johanna pursed her lips and looked back down at the Bloodwood wand in her hand. "Are you sure?" She asked.<br>"Don't look at me like I'm crazy. I could've sworn that in that wand shop, I heard a voice that was neither mine, nor Isla's, nor Ollivander's."  
>"Was there any one else in the shop?"<br>"No! It was just me, Isla, Ollivander and the wands!"  
>"Well, what did the voice sound like?"<br>Luna didn't even want to remember what it sounded like. She didn't like it. It was high and whispery, a little girl's voice. She was trying to sing, but her voice could not attain the right notes. "It was…" She shuddered and hugged herself. Just thinking about it made her grow cold. Johanna looked at her with reassuring and adoring eyes, then rubbed her arm. "Well, maybe you're just special." Luna looked at her smiling sister, and couldn't help but smile back.

A few hours later, Isla and Magnus had returned with arms full of books. "Alright. I found the bike, so we're gonna head back to the house." Isla said, throwing many of the books onto the bed.  
>"Is Dad gonna be there?" Johanna asked, clasping her hands together, excited and hopeful to see her father again. Isla looked at her, then sighed, looking down at her feet. "What? What is it?" Johanna asked, the hope in her face slowly fading.<br>"Well, Jamster… after my last Muggle encounter- not the one with your mother, mind you- the Ministry thought I wasn't fit to be hanging about your father, me own brother. Can you believe it?" She laughed nervously. Johanna's eyes were completely deprived of hope now. "So… where is Dad?"  
>"Still at the old house. Ministry moved me to a new one." She knelt down beside Johanna and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. "Not to worry, though. I'm sure he'll come and visit."<br>"Isla, I haven't seen him in over two years. Why did they deport you?"  
>"Because they felt like a nuisance such as meself shouldn't be an Auror." Luna, Magnus and Johanna had shocked looks upon their faces. "You were…" Magnus began.<br>"Fired, yes."  
>"But why? You were one of the best Aurors the Ministry has seen!" Johanna exclaimed.<br>"Not the best, apparently. Your father was better than me, according to the Ministry. They didn't like how I was using my Auror advantages to get free things- Quidditch tickets, books, things like that. But I paid for lots of things, too! But they didn't believe me," she sighed, "The house your father and I shared with a few other Aurors was Ministry owned. When I was fired, I lost that privilege. Apparently, I had enough good in me that the Ministry gave me the rights to a little house by the water. It's really nice, you'll love it." Isla was trying her best to sound a little happy. But there was the twinge of sadness and jealousy in her voice. Johanna and Luna had visited the house that Isla, their father, and some other Aurors was quite nice. It looked very small on the outside, but on the inside it was huge. There were rooms for each of the Aurors, and a few extra, and an enormous kitchen and living room, where the Aurors would sit and chat, sometimes have magical parties with lots of food and good friends. That was the sadness. But the jealousy… Luna thought Is it because of Dad? Is she jealous of Dad? Is she-  
>Luna was stopped in mid thought by Johanna accidentally bumping her with her trunk. "Come on, Luna! Don't be such a git!" She said. Luna looked up and nodded before gathering her trunk and following everyone out the door, out the main doors to the Leaky Cauldron and out to the bike. "Ready everyone?" Isla said, setting a hand on the frame of the bike. Everyone nodded, then gripped the frame. Luna felt the jerk behind her navel and everything began to spin as they traveled at light speed through the air. Suddenly, they landed forcefully on soft grass. Luna (who was face down) felt the grass tickle her nose, and looked up.<br>The house was lovely. It was about four stories high, with the roof somewhat askew. Each story wall was a different color, with the bottom being a light sky color. There were flowers surrounding traveling around the outside of the house, swaying lightly in the breeze, all of different species and colors. A few feet from the back of the house was a small cliff where the grass ended, with several silvery rocks stacked, then ended with clear blue water lapping at the bottoms of the rocks. The sun glittered down on a blue grey path that widened out as it met with a dirt road that traveled now north, west and south. Johanna, Magnus and Luna followed Isla down the path and into the house.  
>The inside of the house was just as dashing as the outside. A small fire crackled quietly in a fireplace while a large grandfather clock ticked in tune. There was a large couch near the fireplace, and several bookshelves stacked against the walls with several magical titles. Where the carpet ended was a small kitchen where Isla conjured several bowls, pots and pans to start cooking, and half on the carpet, half on the wooden kitchen floor was a long table surrounded by chairs of different makes and sizes. A little ways away from one of the bookshelves was a cooked staircase, which, they all guessed, lead up to the second floor.<br>"Well. Home sweet home." Isla grunted as she pulled in the bike, then tapped it with her wand, muttered something under her breath, and it shrunk slowly down to the size of a grape. Magnus, Luna and Johanna stared wide eyed around the whole house, unknowing of what to say. Johanna wanted to say something like "This place is better than the old Auror house!" Magnus wanted to say "When can I start on all these books?" Luna was just speechless. Isla picked up the shrunken bike and stuffed it into her pocket and walked into the kitchen, waving her wand about, stirring things here and stirring things there. When she noticed that the three of them were still gawking around in the living room, she laughed lightly. "Well, go on! Go upstairs and find a room! There's plenty to go 'round. Lunch's at thirteen hundred!" She said. Then they all trekked up the stairs.  
>There were five small rooms on the second floor, one being a bathroom. Each of the rooms were painted a different color, and the crooked staircase began to twist a little. As Magnus went to a baby blue room with a large bookshelf, Johanna parted to a scarlet red room, and Luna stayed in the middle of the five doors, holding the handle of her trunk tightly. She had robes. She had books. She had a wand, for God's sake. She slowly walked into a sunshine yellow room, where a small white bed was hidden away in a corner. There was a bookshelf near a large, curtained window, and off to the other side of the room was a large goldenrod armchair. The sun trickled in through the window and gave the room a lovely glow. She propped her trunk up against the wall and sat on the bed, pulling her wand out from behind her ear. She rolled it around in her head. She gave it a quick flick, sending out a shower of bright sparks. She smiled and looked at the orb down at the bottom, swirling pale shades of pinks, blues and yellows. Then she fell back onto the bed, staring at the bright ceiling, when she noticed it was charmed to appear like the sky outside: blue with one or two puffy white clouds, a corner of the sun peeking out from behind one. She smiled and felt her head sink into the pillow. "I'm a witch." She whispered to herself. She looked back at the orb at the base of the wand. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and the colors began to swirl into darker colors, bloody reds and midnight blacks, until it was just one black mass. Luna sat up abruptly and watched the knob turn. "Come on, Bug, I need your help cleaning up the kitchen." said Aunt Isla.<br>Aunt Isla? Untrustworthy? Luna thought. Must be a glitch or something- Aunt Isla is a good person, and I know it. She stuck the wand behind her ear, swung her legs off the bed and walked over to the door. At least… I hope she is.

It was September first. Luna, her sister Johanna and her friend Magnus had all been at Isla's house for two weeks. Trunks were packed. Everyone huddled outside by Isla's bike, the crisp, new autumn air biting at their noses. "Is everyone ready?" Isla said, tightening her scarf. Luna was still somewhat hooked on what her wand had said- about Isla being untrustworthy. She didn't want to believe it… but then again, a part of her thought it true. She nodded nonetheless with her sister and Magnus, and gripped the frame tightly. It was Luna's third time using the Port Key in a short matter of time, so she was used to the side effects it brought on. As in, the forceful jerk one felt behind the navel, and the lightheaded feeling one got as they were brought into the air. However, Luna still landed flat on her back and skid across the pavement when the bike had landed. But she got up more quickly, and dusted herself off as fast. She found her trunk and chased after her family.  
>"Kings' Cross Station." Johanna breathed. She smiled again. "Good to see you again." She looked down at Luna, who had a thunderstruck look on her face. "Come on." Luna snapped out of her trance once more and followed her aunt and sister into the Station.<br>It was like any other train station- bustling with people lugging around trunks and suitcases, parents dragging their children behind them, children searching for parents… it didn't have a magical feel to it, so Luna perceived it. It did not have that same glowing feeling she got when she entered a place such as Aunt Isla's home, or Diagon Alley, or the Leaky Cauldron, for that matter. But she soon realized that the glow would return to her when she got on the Hogwarts Express and, hopefully, saw Elodie Cézanne again. Isla led them to a small spot in between Platforms 9 and 10. Luna stood there, gripping the handle of her trunk, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Well? Where's the Express?" She asked. Johanna, Magnus and Isla all looked down at her, looking exasperated. Then, Isla burst out into her unforgettable laughter and poked Luna's nose. "I almost forgot! Oh, I remember my first year at Hoggy-Warts… I didn't know where good ol' platform nine and three-quarters were, either."  
>"Nine and three-" But before Luna could finish her question, Magnus had dropped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her over in front of a brick wall. Luna sighed. "I'm guessing it's like the Leaky Cauldron and you have to do some sort of pattern with your wand on it?" Magnus made a face of indifference, then said "Not quite. You see, you've got to-" But, before Magnus could finish explaining, Johanna had taken her trunk and ran straight at the wall at top speed. "Johanna, what are you-" Then, Johanna had disappeared before their eyes. Luna looked at Magnus (they were about the same height) with wide eyes. "Where'd she go?"<br>"Well, that's how you get to Platform nine and three quarters. You gotta go straight through the wall, and you'll end up there. Now, hurry along. It'll be smart if you take a run like your sister." Luna looked back at the wall, her nose crinkling and her eyebrows knitting together in worry and confusion. Magnus sighed, but also smiled. "Do you want me to go with you?"  
>"Yes, please." She said quickly. Magnus held out his hand, which Luna took quickly. Then, Magnus got a good grip on his trunk and instructed Luna to do the same, who obeyed. "You ready?" He asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Luna nodded slowly, then sped up when she had a little more confidence. They both turned toward the wall again. "One, two… three!" They burst into a run. Luna shut her eyes tight when the brick was inches away, but then felt nothing. No impact, no air, no anything. She opened her eyes when she felt Magnus's hand leave hers. There were different people here. Stranger looking people: insane hair, crazy colorful robes, carrying hooting owls and yowling cats. Luna almost immediately recognized them as wizards and witches. "Oi! Over here, all!" Called out Johanna's voice, who was off a little in the distance, waving. Isla soon followed through the wall, then they all met up together.<br>"Alright. Trunks?" Isla said. Everyone pointed to their trunks. "Wands?" Everyone took out their wand, though Luna was a little slower- she had to cover up the orb so no one would see the dark cloud encased inside of it. "Books? Robes? Other things?" Everyone nodded. Isla clapped her hands once, then motioned to the tracks. "Alright! Express'll be here any moment, so," She gathered them all in a hug, kissing them all on the heads, "Good luck, Luna! I'll have a surprise for you all…"  
>"What kind of surprise?" Luna said.<br>"Are you sending it by owl post?" Johanna asked. Isla put a finger to her lips and smiled, implying she wasn't going to tell them anything about the surprise- they would just have to wait for it. Then, they heard the train approaching. The slow, steady heartbeat of the wheels beating on the tracks. The train pulled into the station, and kids all aged from eleven to seventeen started flooding towards it. Luna hugged and kissed her aunt one time, then was dragged away by her sister towards the train.  
>"Do you want to stay with us?" Johanna had asked, after they boarded the train. Luna shook her head slightly and said "No, I'll try and find Elodie."<br>"Alright. See you later then!" Magnus said, pulling Johanna away.  
>Luna parted from Johanna and Magnus and shimmied down the thin corridor to a small cab, falling down into the seat. She was kind of upset she hadn't seen Elodie, she didn't have anyone to talk to. Instead, she took out her wand and rolled it around in her palm again. Isla couldn't be evil or untrustworthy, she was her father's sister, one of the greatest Aurors the Ministry had seen, although she had recently been fired… but, she couldn't be evil, could she? She-<br>But, Luna was interrupted in mid thought when there was a rap at the door. She shoved her wand behind her ear and sat up, hoping to see the chocolate hair of her friend, or at least hear her voice. "Is anyone in here?" Said the voice from the other side of the door. It wasn't Elodie, sadly. Instead, the door was opened by an incredibly small girl wearing clothes much too big for her. Her cerulean eyes were huge and curious, and her tawny hair was almost more unkempt than Isla's. Her large teal t-shirt and baggy jeans were covered in cat, dog, and other animal hair, and her red sneakers were huge, Luna thought her feet couldn't be that big. There was a small pin of a bumblebee nestled in her hair, Luna could barely see it, until she saw the yellow and black glinting, and the silvery wings of it fluttering gently. Her tiny nose perked up and her face was covered in dark freckles. Her pale lips were drawn down in a small frown. "Have you seen a Pigmy owl? He's the same color as my hair with giant green eyes?" She asked, her voice high and cracked on the occasion. Luna shook her head. The girl sighed disappointedly and walked into the cabin, slumping down into the seat across from Luna. She was so short, her feet dangled a good seven or eight inches from the ground. "You don't mind if I sit here, D'you?" She asked. Luna shook her head again. The girl sighed again and brushed at her hairy clothes. "My owl is so small, I'm so terribly worried someone crushed him with a book or something, or he flew through an open window," she sniffled and wiped her nose, only to sneeze again. "Sorry. My name's Oriole, like the bird. Oriole Rodin. I'm an animal lover, and when I lose a companion, even for a short amount of time, I lose it. I didn't mean to unload on you. Sorry. I keep talking, how rude of me. What's your name?"  
>"Luna. Luna Maddox."<br>Oriole gasped. "You're kidding! Are you in any way related to Fawna Maddox?"  
>"Er-" At that moment, Luna felt very stupid. She knew nothing about her family, only her parents and Isla. She didn't know anything about cousins, grandparents, godparents, uncles…<br>"Well, Fawna Maddox was incredibly talented in protecting and breeding hippogriffs. Have you ever seen one?" Luna replied with yet another shake of her head. Oriole fished around in the small bag around her shoulder, then pulled out a black and white picture of a large, feathered creature with enormous wings and a birdlike face. The beast was strutting around, pecking it's head at that ground. "Tha's a hippogriff. Real pretty, they are." Oriole said with a swoon, as if the picture of the hippogriff was of a long lost lover or relative or something of that nature. Luna wanted to disagree, but then the girl might've left, and she would be alone again, so she simply nodded with a slight smile. "Hopefully, we'll have hippogriffs in Care of Magical Creatures class. Not something silly like Blast-Ended Skrewts or," she scoffed and blew a hair out of her face, which caused her to sneeze again. "Unicorns." Luna raised her eyebrows.  
>"Unicorns? There have been unicorns at Hogwarts before?"<br>"Oh yeah, loads of them. Really hard to catch, they are. They've been there before, but since they're so hard to catch, they rarely are. But they haven't had hippogriffs in a while, not since the Ministry got all on the school's tail because a hippogriff 'harmed' a student." Luna nodded. She had read about that in a small history lecture on Harry Potter that her father had sent her for her tenth birthday. Oriole pulled her legs up underneath her and crossed them, folding her hands in between them. She opened her mouth to say something, but then there was a gentle knock at the door. "Iz anyone in there?"  
>"Come on in!" Said Oriole cheerfully. Luna knew that voice. The door to the cabin opened and they found that it was opened by the chocolate haired Elodie Cézanne. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, with small tendrils of it hanging by her ears. "Luna! My friend! Good to zee you!" She said, her voice very upbeat. Luna smiled and waved as Elodie sat down beside her. She looked over at Oriole, who was still cross legged in the cushiony seat with an anxious smile spread across her face. "I don't believe we have met." Elodie said, her voice still somewhat cheery. Oriole leaned forward with an outstretched hand. "My name's Oriole, like the bird. Oriole Rodin," Elodie took her hand and shook it politely. "You haven't seen a Pygmy Owl flitting around have you?"<br>But before Elodie could answer, there was a rustling sound coming from Oriole's side of the cabin. Then, it looked as if her hair was some sort of fluffy monster, trying to escape from Oriole's head. Then, out from the side, popped out a tiny fear stricken owl, almost the same color as Oriole's mousy hair, and with the same large eyes, only green. It flitted around the cabin before flying into the window, then falling into Oriole's open palm. "Monty! When did you get in my hair? Have you been there this whole time?" She said, smoothing the birds plumage. Oriole looked back up at Elodie and Luna, who had thunderstruck looks on their faces. Oriole let out a tiny laugh then said, "Oh, this is my owl, Montgomery Montferd McNeilly Rodin the second. He's the offspring of my nana's owl, Macey Montferd McNeilly Rodin, who is the daughter of her mother's owl, Miles Montferd McNeilly Rodin, who is the son of her mother's owl, Montferd McNeilly Rodin. But there's no point in calling him all that, so I just call him Monty. Anyhow, the same family of owls has been in my family for generations." Luna shuddered at this thought. The last time she read something similar to that was in the Harry Potter lecture, where his companion, Ronald Weasley, had a rat named Scabbers, who turned out to be the infamous Peter Pettigrew, a servant of the Dark Lord. She shook it off as she watched Oriole smoothed down the bird's plumage some more, the bird nipping at her finger affectionately. "I need to go find where I left his cage." She placed Monty on her shoulder, who dug his talons into it (which looked rather painful, considering the shirt was five sizes too large and hung off her shoulder, which, coincidentally was the shoulder she put the bird on) and scurried out the door.  
>After she had left, Elodie turned to Luna. "So, on my way looking for you, there was thees boy. 'Ee 'ad long, greezy looking hair that looked very blue in zee sun. I was knocking on all of zee doors to find you, or at least, zomeone I knew, and when I bumped into 'eem he was very rude to me. 'Ee just said ''Ey, watch it!' then muttered zomething that sounded razzer nazty under 'eez breath. He was zo rude. 'ee jus' kep' ztaring at me! Of all zee deezguzting… 'e'll probably end up in Slythereen if 'ee keeps ac'in the way 'ee iz ac'in."<br>The description of the boy Elodie had given her reminded her of someone she had bumped into on Diagon Alley. "Was he really tall? The boy?"  
>"Oui. A giant. I'm zurprised people did not azk 'eem if 'ee was a 'alf-giant or not."<br>"I've met him before. I bumped into him on Diagon Alley when I first traveled by Port Key."  
>"Was 'ee rude?"<br>"I guess. He kind of just said 'Watch where you're going,' then shoved his hands into his pockets than walked away without another word." Elodie groaned again. "I 'ope we do not 'ave to deal weeth 'eem too much."  
>At that moment, Oriole had returned with a rusty brass cage, with Monty flitting around excitedly inside. She settled herself back in the seat she was in before, set the cage next to her gently, then folded her legs again and clasped her hands. "So? What are you two talking about?"<br>And at that moment, Luna knew she had gained another friend. Oriole, though she may be obnoxious, was fun to be around. And since Luna knew next to nothing about the magical world, Elodie could help her with spells and such while Luna helped her with her English, and Oriole could help with magical creatures, while Luna helped her learn to talk a little less.

After a long while of talking, enjoying treats from the food trolley, and a couple times, they had nodded off a bit, the train had come to an abrupt stop, which nearly flung Oriole out of her seat, considering her tiny size. "Oh. We muzt be 'eer." Said Elodie, looking out the window. The sky had become reasonably darker, and tiny stars were beginning to poke out from the dark blackish blue. She leaned over and opened the door of their cab, where several other students were snatching their luggage and flooding out of the train. Oriole was nearly snatched up by the crowd as she tried to escape as well, but Luna had grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into the cabin. "Maybe we should wait until it clears up a bit!" She shouted over the ruckus.  
>After there were only a few dozen people getting off, Luna, Elodie and Oriole all exited the cabin, found their trunks, and dug through them to find their robes, put them on over their jeans and t-shirts and slowly made their way off the train. A cold chill enveloped them and kissed Luna's cheeks, but it wasn't a winter chill, thank goodness. A few clouds had gathered in front of the tiny white dots in the sky, but they were pale and just made the stars fuzzy around the edges. Suddenly, a loud and somewhat obnoxious voice called out, "First years! Yoo-hoo! First years, please come over here!" Luna turned her head and saw a very large woman with long and wavy almost black hair, almost to her mid thighs, that was extremely knotted and dirty, and an extremely thin face and prominent nose. Her eyebrows were thick and nearly triangular, and she was wearing dark brown robes that were covered in a thick layer of hair. Her eyes were large and beetle black, and her fingers were long and spindly, like spiders. "Who is that?" Oriole whispered to Luna. Luna shrugged. Why Oriole would ask her a question about Hogwarts, she hadn't the foggiest, considering she thought she would never inherit any sort of magical ability. Luna was actually scanning the crowd for her sister's flaming mop of hair, or Magnus, which would have been difficult because he was a few heads shorter than Johanna, but still taller than Oriole, she presumed.<br>"Yoo-hoo! First years! Come on, then! Come on!" Called the woman. Elodie grabbed Johanna's wrist and pulled her over to a large group of first year Hogwarts students, there were at least forty to fifty, all with worried faces and rosy cheeks. The woman smiled widely, showing a large arrangement of crooked teeth, and clapped her large hands. "Alright then! Into the boats you go!" Luna looked and saw several wooden boots floating nonchalantly in the water. "Four to a boat! You three!" The woman pointed at Luna, Oriole and Elodie, who still looked kind of nervous. "Why not hop in the boot with me? Don't worry, I don't bite." They exchanged glances and then crowded into the boat with the woman, and they set sail towards the castle.  
>"The name's Primms. Aofie Primms. Just appointed by McGonagall." The woman said, her voice a little quieter than before but still slightly deep. "Er- what class are you teaching?" Luna asked quietly.<br>"Which one?" Primms laughed and shook her head. "Well, kiddies, I may not look it, but McGonagall just hired me as Potions Master." Luna's mouth dropped a little. She remembered that the old Potions master, Professor Severus Snape, had been killed by the Dark Lord not only a year ago. Aofie Primms was no Snape, obviously. "Are you a head of house?" Oriole asked loudly.  
>"Yeah. Hufflepuff. House I was in. Well, was in. I was expelled from Hogwarts in my fourth year," she laughed again. "Too much rule breaking and casting spells in the corridors. McGonagall brought me back though. I was always pretty good at Potions. You know, for three years." She laughed again as the boats came to a stop, and helped Luna, Oriole and Elodie out onto land. They climbed up a large flight of stairs, to a pair of grand doors that swung open to all the first years. Primms lead them all down the long corridors, then to another pair of huge doors that swung open. "Welcome to the Great Hall." Primms said. Luna's breath was taken away.<br>The Great Hall was amazing. Enormously long tables draped in snow white cloths spread from end to end of the room, and were filled with older students, who must have arrived earlier than the first years somehow. Floating above everyone's heads were hundreds of glowing candles filling the room with a warm light. Hanging near each of the tables was a different plaque: one was green and silver with a hissing serpent in the center. Another was black and yellow with a grey badger on it's hind legs. Another- blue and white with a large silver bird, wings spread. The last table- which is where Luna spotted Johanna and Magnus, chatting away- was scarlet and gold with a roaring lion. Luna then realized them as the four Hogwarts houses: snake for Slytherin, badger for Hufflepuff, bird (supposedly raven) for Ravenclaw, and lion for- obviously, Gryffindor. "Well, find a seat! Anywhere you like!" Primms shouted over the noise. Luna quickly walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting down next to Johanna and Magnus. "Hey, little sister! How was the ride in?" Johanna said, ruffling her hair. Luna smiled. "It was exciting. I just can't-" But Johanna had looked over to the front of the Great Hall, focusing her attention to whoever was up there. Luna turned her head and saw a skinny, severe looking woman with grey black hair drawn into a tight bun. Perched on her nose were a pair of square shaped glasses. Luna automatically realized her as Minerva McGonagall, who was Dumbledore's right hand woman, until Dumbledore's death only a year or two ago. She was now, as Luna had envisioned it, the Headmistress of Hogwarts. She cleared her throat. "Your attention, please." Her old voice said loudly. All heads turned and looked up at her. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. For many of you, this is your first. And in order to become one at Hogwarts, you must be placed into a house," She snapped. All heads turned again to the opposite side of the Great Hall, where Primms was carrying a stool and an old, patched hat. They watched as the tall woman carried it to the front of the Great Hall and placed it in front of McGonagall. All watched as the hat twitched, then a large tear in the brim opened like a mouth. And Luna was somewhat surprised… when the hat began to sing:

"A thousand years or more ago  
>When I was newly sewn,<br>There lived four wizards of renown,  
>Whose names are still well known:<br>Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor  
>Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,<br>Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,  
>Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.<br>They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,  
>They hatched a daring plan<br>To educate young sorcerers, thus Hogwarts School Began.  
>Now each of these four founders<br>Formed their own house, for each.  
>Did value different virtues<br>In the ones they had to teach.  
>By Gryffindor, the bravest were<br>Prized far beyond the rest;  
>For Ravenclaw, the cleverest<br>Would always be the best;  
>For Hufflepuff, hard workers were<br>Most worthy of admission;  
>And power-hungry<br>Slytherin  
>Loved those of great ambition.<br>While sill alive they did divide  
>Their favorites from the throng,<br>Yet how to pick the worthy ones  
>When they were dead and gone?<br>Twas Gryffindor who found the way,  
>He whipped me off his head<br>The founders put some brains in me  
>So I could choose instead!<br>Now slip me snug about your ears  
>I've never yet been wrong,<br>I'll have a look inside your mind  
>And tell where you belong!"<p>

"Funny. Usually the Sorting Hat uses a different song every year." Johanna had said, but Luna could barely hear her. The Great Hall was filled with applause and screaming from other students, then Professor McGonagall raised a hand, piping them all up. "When your name is called, please come forward!" She pulled up a piece of parchment and pushed her glasses up. "Abbens, Jenny!" A small girl with shaggy blonde hair scurried up, and Primms picked up the hat, setting it on her head. It was too large and slipped over her big brown eyes. The Hat twitched it's mouth like brim, then shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hufflepuff table boomed with applause as Primms removed the hat and Jenny Abbens rushed over, several Hufflepuffs patting her on the back and giving her praise. "Ackley, Garret!" A stout boy with dark hair that hung in his eyes rushed up, and plopped down on the stool. Primms set the hat on his head, and again, it fell over his eyes. "SLYTHERIN!" Loud shouts and hisses came from the Slytherin Table. Primms removed the hat and Garret stalked over. The Sorting went on like that. "Cézanne, Elodie!" Elodie stood up from the table she was sitting at and walked quickly over. Primms set the hat on her chocolate head, and, like expected, fell over her eyes. "RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table whooped and hollered, Luna clapped quietly. Elodie shot her a smile as she walked over to the table, greeted with pats on the back and hugs. and after Karen Mackley was sorted into Ravenclaw, Luna's ears went pink. "Maddox, Luna!" Johanna patted her on the back, and she got up and walked nervously up to the stool. Primms placed the hat gingerly on her head. It fell over her eyes, so all she could see was the dark, felt inside of the hat.  
>"Where to put you, where to put you…" Muttered the hat. Luna wrung her wrists nervously. Would she be put in Slytherin? She hoped she would be placed into Ravenclaw, follow in Isla's footsteps. Also, she wanted to be with Elodie. So far, her and Oriole were her only friends. "Ravenclaw, eh?" Said tha hat loudly. Oh, shoot. I forgot the Hat reads your thoughts. Luna thought. "You're darn right I can!" Boomed the hat. Luna was afraid that the other students would begin to laugh and jeer her, but there wasn't any noise. "Well, after a long hard think, I have decided to put this girl in…" Luna crossed her fingers.<br>"GRYFFINDOR!"  
>Luna sighed quietly as Primms removed the hat. Well, there were some good looking people in Gryffindor. Plus, she had her sister and Magnus, though they were a year above her. And, this was the house famous Potter was in. And Hermione Granger, she was here, too. Plus, there was always a chance that Oriole could be put into Gryffindor house, too. The Gryffindor table cheered loudly and clapped, Johanna the loudest, as Luna walked back to the table, and was greeted with some pats on the backs and "Welcome to Gryffindor!"s. The Sorting went on, a few students were placed in Gryffindor, but many were placed into the other houses, but there were only a few Slytherins. After Jessie Rode was placed into Hufflepuff, McGonagall called, "Rodin, Oriole!" Luna crossed her fingers inside her robes.<br>"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hat shouted. Luna sighed again. Now neither of her new friends were in her house. She was somewhat happy she was in Gryffindor, a lot of "good guys" had graduated from here, Gryffindor had a good reputation. Also, her father had graduated from here as well, and he's one of the best Aurors- and just wizard in general- the Ministry has seen so far. She half smiled and looked back up at the hat, where a boy with long light hair that was pulled back into a ponytail was placed into Gryffindor. Gryffindor hooted and hollered, but Luna stayed somewhat quiet.  
>"Skymh, Dominic!" Shouted Professor McGonagall. Then, Luna's eyes widened a little. She looked over at the Ravenclaw table where Elodie had the same wide eyes, but her mouth had turned down into an angry scowl. An extremely tall and lanky boy with long blue-black hair strode up, hands in the pockets of his black pants. Luna recognized him as the boy she had run into on Diagon Alley, the boy that was somewhat rude to Elodie. He sat down at the stool, arms crossed as Primms set the hat on his head. It just barely covered his green eyes. "SLYTHERIN!" Luna saw Elodie scoff under her breath. Dominic smirked and walked back to this hissing Slytherin table, without saying a word. After Perry Ziddler was placed into Gryffindor, and the tables had burst into an uproar of applause, Professor McGonagall held up her hand again. "Your attention, please!" She shouted. Heads turned again, and there was immediate silence. "For those who don't know me, I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, your Transfiguration professor, Head teacher of Gryffindor House, and Headmistress of Hogwarts. There is not much for you first years to know- the older years in your houses will do that for you. For those interested in Quidditch, try outs will be next week. You will receive your daily schedules every morning at breakfast. Now, will the Prefects of each house please raise their hands."<br>Luna watched as two people- a boy and girl- each raised their hands at each table. The ones at Gryffindor were a girl with her light blonde hair tied back into a tight pony tail, and pale green eyes. Her face was thinned out a little and her arms were long and skinny. The other was a Latino boy with long dark hair that nearly fell onto his shoulders. He had sparkly blue eyes and a birthmark at the corner of his nose. Pinned to the fronts of their robes was a badge surrounded by each of the House colors with a large letter P uniting them.  
>"These people are your House Prefects, or Head Boy and Head Girl. If you have any questions, first years, go to an older student first. If they don't have your answer, go to one of the Prefects. If they don't have your answer, your question probably wasn't worth asking.<br>"Now, all throughout the year, each of your Houses will be competing for this-" Primms brought up a large golden cup and set in front of McGonagall. "The House Cup. In order to win the Cup, your house must win points. Points are received in a numerous amount of situations: answering a particularly difficult question correctly, other types of good behavior, or if your House Quidditch team wins the final match of the year. Now, you can also have points deducted from your House. Points are deducted when someone breaks a rule, back talks in class, or doesn't pay attention to the Professor.  
>"Now, if some of you have read up on your Hogwarts chronology, you would know we just went through a War, battling against the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord was evidently defeated by Harry Potter, whom you all have heard of, like it or not. And as all wars go, there is always casualties. We lost a few of our own through it, the most devastating being the deaths of our Potions professor, Severus Snape, and the old Headmaster, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Most of you probably only knew him as Dumbledore though."<br>Many head were bowed slightly as the Great Hall was filled with a great silence. McGonagall also bowed her head, and when she rose it, she began to speak again.  
>"And, many teachers have retired of old age or just lack of appeal. So, in order to have a proper functioning school, there must be teachers to teach the classes. So, let me introduce you to Aofie Primms, who is entering her second year as Hogwarts Potions master,"<br>Primms stood up from her seat and bowed like a peasant to a queen.  
>"Oliver Riley, our Charms Master,"<br>A black man with long dark hair pulled into a ponytail that flowed past his shoulders stood up and held up an enormous hand.  
>"Juliet Odysseus, our Divination professor,"<br>A woman with tangled, dirty blonde hair that fell past her waist stood up partially, her eyes huge and blue. She nodded to the crowd, then sat back down.  
>"Xaquari Dorian, our Astronomy professor,"<br>A man with tan skin and slick black hair stood up, flashed a smile, then sat back down.  
>"Rubeus Hagrid, Care of Magical Creatures."<br>Everyone recognized the friendly (and quite hairy) half giant, Hagrid, as he stood up with his thick beard and matted black hair. He gave a smile through the beard and held up a huge hand.  
>"And-" McGonagall looked around and whispered something Primms, who just shrugged and whispered back. Suddenly, the doors of the Great Hall burst open. "Sorry I'm late, McGonagall! The bike was sighted as I was flying and I had to Apparate… but I was blown off course and it took my at least four tries to get here!"<br>Luna knew the voice. So did Johanna, who had cradled her head in her arms on the table. Luna bit her lip with a sigh and looked back by the doors. A woman with insane red hair and enchanted nail polish began to walk quickly in between the tables. There was dirt in her hair and all over her colorful robes, and her face was thin with a long, crooked nose. Perched at the end of her nose, was a pair of small spectacles swirling with bright colors.  
>"Ah, there she is. Meet Isla Harriet Joanne Christine Maddox, our new Defense Against The Dark Arts professor." <p>


End file.
